An Introduction to American Law

University of Pennsylvania

À propos de ce cours

This course will give you a glimpse into six different areas of American law: Tort Law, Contract Law, Property, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Civil Procedure. You will gain insight into the complexities and dilemmas that arise from the application of law in different settings, and what is distinctive about American approaches.

Cours en ligne à 100 %

Commencez dès maintenant et apprenez aux horaires qui vous conviennent.

Niveau débutant

Approx. 10 heures pour terminer

Recommandé : 1 hour/week

English

Sous-titres : English

Cours en ligne à 100 %

Commencez dès maintenant et apprenez aux horaires qui vous conviennent.

Niveau débutant

Approx. 10 heures pour terminer

Recommandé : 1 hour/week

English

Sous-titres : English

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

1

Section

1 hour to complete

Welcome

...

3 readings

3 readings

About Us10m

Syllabus10m

Grading Policy and Logistics10m

1 hour to complete

Tort Law

Tort law governs how people may sue each other civilly (as opposed to criminally) in order to receive compensation for harms or injuries other people caused them. In this module, Professor Allen will explore the goals of tort law through a historic case. She will address what makes tort law distinct and issues surrounding negligence and liability....

6 videos (Total 38 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

6 videos

Tort Law: Part 1 7m

Tort Law: Part 2 7m

Tort Law: Part 35m

Tort Law: Part 4 4m

Tort Law: Part 5 5m

Tort Law: Part 6 8m

2 readings

Key Tort Law Terms10m

Supplemental Reading10m

1 practice exercises

Tort Law Quiz12m

2

Section

1 hour to complete

Contract Law

Contract law governs how promises between two individuals are enforced. Few areas of law impact our daily lives as much as contract law, and in this module you will gain a deeper understanding of what a contract is and what makes it enforceable. Professor Wilkinson-Ryan will address what constitutes a contract, why the law enforces them, the legal meanings of words in contracts, and the important requirement of consideration. Expectation damages, or the amount a court orders someone who breached a contract to pay will also be explored, all through hypothetical and real cases....

4 videos (Total 35 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

4 videos

Contract Law: Part 18m

Contract Law: Part 29m

Contract Law: Part 37m

Contract Law: Part 49m

2 readings

Key Contract Law Terms10m

Supplemental Reading10m

1 practice exercises

Contract Quiz8m

3

Section

2 hours to complete

Property Law

Property law governs the relationship between individuals and things, known as property. In this module, Professor Balganesh will explore the differences between property and tort and contract law and about several specific examples of property law in action: adverse possession, landlord/tenant, and licenses. You will learn about what makes U.S. property law distinct - its origins in common law, imprint of legal realism, and pragmatism....

4 videos (Total 67 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

4 videos

Property Law: Part 113m

Property Law: Part 2 11m

Property Law: Part 3 21m

Property Law: Part 4 20m

2 readings

Key Property Law Terms10m

Supplemental Reading10m

1 practice exercises

Property Law Quiz8m

4

Section

2 hours to complete

Constitutional Law

The study of constitutional law is among the most exciting parts of the law because it provides for the structure and functioning of the U.S. government. In this module, Dean Ruger will address the document itself, how it has been applied over time, the history of the document, and what makes it unique. The structure of the U.S. government as a government of limited, separated powers will be explored along with the important individual rights the Constitution provides and how the U.S. Constitution compares to others around the world. ...

4 videos (Total 86 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

4 videos

Constitutional Law: Part 1 28m

Constitutional Law: Part 2 23m

Constitutional Law: Part 3 23m

Constitutional Law: Part 4 10m

2 readings

Key Constitutional Law Terms10m

Supplemental Reading10m

1 practice exercises

Constitutional Law Quiz8m

5

Section

1 hour to complete

Criminal Law

In this module, Professor Morse will focus on the basics of criminal law, an area of law so exciting that countless TV shows and movies have been based on it. The major aspects of criminal law will be discussed - why we impose punishment, when we impose the most punishment, and how the state proves a criminal case. Defenses to criminal charges, which are divided into justifications and excuses will also be addressed....

4 videos (Total 57 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

4 videos

Criminal Law: Part 1 16m

Criminal Law: Part 2 14m

Criminal Law: Part 3 12m

Criminal Law: Part 4 13m

2 readings

Key Criminal Law Terms10m

Supplemental Reading10m

1 practice exercises

Criminal Law Quiz8m

6

Section

1 hour to complete

Civil Procedure

In this module, Professor Wolff will introduce us to some of the major issues in civil procedure law. Civil procedure is the study of the rules of court that must be followed by the judge and parties in civil cases (as opposed to criminal cases – criminal procedure is a whole other area of the law, but law students learn civil procedure first because it gives the structure of typical trials). The essence of a law school civil procedure course is the study of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. A copy of these is linked in the syllabus for you to scan. The rules tell you how to file a lawsuit and how the court must function while it is considering a lawsuit. Professor Wolff will introduce you to the doctrinal area of procedure and will highlight some of the major modern issues in procedure law....

4 videos (Total 53 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

4 videos

Civil Procedure: Part 1 8m

Civil Procedure: Part 2 12m

Civil Procedure: Part 3 15m

Civil Procedure: Part 4 15m

2 readings

Key Civil Procedure Terms10m

Supplemental Reading10m

1 practice exercises

Civil Procedure Quiz8m

7

Section

24 minutes to complete

Final Exam

...

1 quiz

1 practice exercises

Final Exam24m

Instructors

Anita Allen

Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy

Shyam Balganesh

Professor of Law

Stephen Morse

Ferdinand Wakeman Hubbell Professor of Law; Professor of Psychology and Law in Psychiatry; Associate Director, Center for Neuroscience & Society

Theodore Ruger

Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law

Tess Wilkinson-Ryan

Assistant Professor of Law and Psychology

Tobias Barrington Wolff

Professor of Law

About University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies. ...

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An Introduction to American Law